The Sun. — London, England, 1836-12-23 00:00:00

•...---- ,____. ._ _ _______ SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS. The tr. Anufacture and preparation of Irish outrages, Tor the Ilse of the Tory press, is a trade in itself. Agents arid correspondents dispersed 'all over the land are ever on the watch for any breach of the peace, lnmvewer trivial, which, being embellished anti finished off: with suitable accessories, they send forward to Ott:'; - favourite journals. Having once found way into tl-.e press, the tale runs its coursa rapidly through all the organs of kindred sentiment ; and it often happens that gentlemen, it may be in Cork or Leitrim, who arc placed in the very crater of a volcano, and who ought to be half stifled—ma si bona norint—with its ashes, are first made acquainted with their somewhat pe(ntliar situation by a paragraph in the Times or the Siandard. The business of catering for this " perpe tual feast" was for a length of time considered to belong to the duty of the police ; and we lately copied a letter from a constable to the Editor of a violent journal in Tipperary, proving that the practice, though strictly pro hibited by the present Government, has not yet been wholly abandoned. But, generally speaking, the task has devolved upon a functionary new to Ire land, and who, we are inclined to think, will be found a great nuisance in that country. We mean the clerk of petty sessions, a person of humble rank, whose proper business it is to fill summonses, and draw up convictions and bail bonds ; but who is fre quently admitted into a sort of half confidence by the magistrates, for whose information he can lay his fin ger upon the penal clauses of the Acts most in vogue, and is otherwise qualified to give instructions in the usual routine of magisterial duties. The op portunities possessed by such persons of receiving the first intelligence of every misdemeanour that occurs, render them peculiarly eligible correspondents of those editors whose imaginations revel in tales of terror; and as they are the mere creatures of the rustic jus tices, the great majority of whom are eager partisans, it seldom happens that they are indisposed to under take such an addition to their official duties. The incidents which they communicate lose nothing by their mode of relating them ; but the merest trifles are frequently swelled out into offences of serious moment, and sometimes, lor lack of matter, those of them who are under an obligation to furnish a regu lar periodical supply of outrages, do not hesitate to draw upon the raculty of invention for the ground work as well as the superstructure of their re ports. A very flagrant instance of the mischievous system of misrepresentation and calumny which is carried, *bn through the agency of these minions of justice was brought to light last week at a judicial investigation in Wexford. Mr. Caesar Sutton, one of the great unpaid of that county, thought proper to prefer certain charges of a most paltry nature against a chief constable of police, who, according to the evi dence of a respectable and impartial magistrate, Mr. White, labours under the dangerous imputation of discharging his duty with zeal and attention, but " with a great suavity of manner towards the common people." Mr. Caesar Sutton discovered, as he thought, a blot in this disagreeable chief constable's character. He had recommended an unfortunate policeman, who was once in his life induced to drink more than he ought, to the merciful consideration of his superior officer ; and for this offence Mr. Caesar Sutton de nounced him to the Government. A solemn investi gation into that charge, and another of an equally trum pery description, took place before Major Millar, the provincial Inspector-General ; and amongst the wit nesses produced to substantiate them was Mr. John Cotton, or Cottom, the clerk of the petty sessions at Taghmon. Mr. Cotton, on his cross-examination, admitted that "he was a correspondent of the Wex ford Conservative, and had communicated to that paper false reports of the state of the county. He acknowledged that what he wrote in the anonymous letter to the Conservative was false in many particulars, and that he had the means of ascertaining the truth of all the allegations in the letter at the time he wrote it, but did not avail hiciiself of those means." What a thrice valuable auxiliary would this friend of Mr. Caesar Sutton prjve to the Times, if he were taken regularly, along with Mr. Eneas M'Donnell, and some other namek ss worthies, into the corps of its corres pondents t It is evident that he would not stop at a trifle to help the Leading Journal of Europe to a topic of declamation ; but If a lie of his would do it grace, He'd gild it with the happiest terms he has." The style and substance of his article seem to have been exactly cut out for the meridian of Printing house-square or Bridge-street ; for it sets forth " that there is an illegal, organised confederacy in that part of the country, trampling on the law, and setting the legal authorities at defiance. It relates (no doubt with minute particularity) a collision between the country-people and police—such a circumstance being entirely false—and also states that the writer had his information from a person on whose veracity he could rely." And every word of this the fellow now on his solemn oath declares to be false ! Really the Times should lose not a moment in catching him up ; for by this time we take it for granted that he has ceased to officiate as clerk of the Taghmon petty sessions, and there will be many competitors for the exclusive assist ance of so neat a hand. Henceforward we caution the British public, when they shall see any very alarm ing picture of th e s t a t e o f I re l an d , e i t h er in the form of extracts from the local prints, or in the original rattle of the Thunderer himself, that they should re collect the clerk of petty sessions at Taghmon, and " chew upon" what tlicy read, with a grain of salt.— Morning Chronicle. The day before yesterday, in the course of our ac customed remarks on the spirit of the Parisian press, we stated tat the Chronique de Paris contained an insinuation, which we felt assured would prove as un foundA as the object of the writer was reprehensible —namely, " that the admirable manner in which the place was defended proved the presence of British en gineers." The report thus noticed subsevently gained Fground amongst the French papers. The Gazette (lc rance, for example, represented the fact of the em ployment of British officers as, 'neing well known, and that journal connected thi.'s assumption with the posi tive and indisputable, occupation of St. Sebastian by the British Legie,n, as constituting evidence of Eng land's grasping ambition. Not wishing to press too hard on one so in anifestly falling as poor Lord Palmerston, we simply q".oted the French papers —nay, we did not think the insinuations called for any grave comment. But after Lord Palinerston's exhibition of last night in his own paper, we begin to think otherwise. The Album de•aounces the report as being a malignant invention, adding that the repetition of it is doubly disgraceful to the only English print which echoed it. The imper tinence and absurdity of the Album are really wonder ful. What subject should that journal have so stu diously avoided as one which of necessity reminds all readers, of what politics soever, of the plight to which Lord Palmerston has reduced this country ? In the firs,t, 'place, what more natural than that France shot:a suspect our protocolling Secretary of em ploying the same siieaking and silly tricks at Con stantino which he has perseveringly persisted in in Spain ? Indeed, it was only yesterday that we had occasion to notice the zealous nonsense of the Album, 'when endeavouring to account for Marshal Clausel's defeat by divine interposition, in revenge of Cupid's abandonment l On inquiry, there may prove to be something in this of the nature of a foregone con6usion. In the second place, the continued oc cupation of St. Sebastian by the British Legion, with no other intelligible object than that of keeping fast hold of a strong position, is of a nature to inspire in French politicians, and in the people of France gene rally, great distrust as. to the ultimate designs of this country. But the Album says not. It says, or Lord Vidmerston, speaking through its columns, that the French Government are in possession of information which leaves them in no doubt of the intentions of England. This is possible, and Lord Palmerston may know it for certain. But the people of France, as well as the people of England, rrmy naturally feel puz zled at the occupation spoken of—au occupation ho nourable to neither, and probably disagreeable to both. We should not have felt it necessary so soon to have mentioned this, but for the penny-trumpet flourishing of Cupid's Touter, who really seems every way worthy of his godship's energy and foresight.— Times. To advance the principles of Reform in the next Session of Parliament, it is before all things neees. THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1836. LAW INTELLIGENCE. COURT OF CHANCERY, DEC. ARNOLD V. ARNOLD. In this case, which was not finished yesterday up to the , • y time that our Reporter ouittco inc Couß, the LORD alter - tea/4n the statements and arguments plle'stponed judgment. oCrlt counsel, COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, DEC. 22. HALL AND ANOTHER V. BENSON. This was an action brought by Messrs. Hall and John son, shipbrokers, against the owner of the vessel Hekit Mar for 103/., the amount of Custom-house charges paid by them upon clearing out the said ship. The transaction out of which the present action arises, occurred in March, 1832, when the plaintiffs cleared out the Helot Mar, and paid the Custom-house charges, amounting to the sum now claimed. A freight had been provided by a person named Norrey, introduced to the defendant by the plaintiffs, and whom the defendant had directed in the presence of the plaintiffs to lay down the ship. A voyage was made to Hobart Town and Launceston, and about the middle of 1833 the 'ldol Mar returned—directed, however, not to the present plaintiffs, but to other brokers. Mr. Norrey had received from the defendant about 3001., and the de fenon ett up to the present action was—first, that the con tract had been entered into on the part of the defendants with Messrs. Hall and Johnson and Mr. Norrcy jointly, that they .intly acted as brokers, and that, therefore, the rrnnt plaintiffs alone had no right of action ; and, se condly, that there had been an express agreement that the plaintiffs were only to look to the fund raised by Norrey for the eatisfattion of their demands. Attu hearing evidence, The LORD CIIIEF JUSTICE summed up, and the jury re turned a verdict far the defendant. TRIEBNER V. SODDY. Tills Was an action brought by the plaintiff to recover the value of ten casks of tallow, about 1701., alleged to have been fraudulently purchased by the defendant. The defendant was a soapmaker in Spitalfields, and about the 20th of August, 1835, he was applied to by a person of the name of Carter, a tallow-chandler, residing in Castle-street, Shoreditch, and who had been a bankrupt a few years before, for a small advance of money ; and then it was alleged on the part of the plaintiff that the defen dant, refusing to advance money, suggested to Carter to get some tallow, which he, the defendant, would purchase of him at an under price, and that that suggestion was acted upon by Carter, who procured altogether ten casks of tallow upon credit from the present plaintiff, which casks were asserted to have been conveyed directly to the pre mises of the defendant, except in one instance, but which the plaintiff imagined that he had been selling to Carter for the usual purposes of business. Verdict for the defendant. COURT OF THE DEAN AND CHAPTER OF ST. PAUL'S. NORTH V. NORTH. This was a suit commenced by Rosamond, wife of Mr. John North, for restitution of conjugal rights. An alle gation was now offered on behalf of the husband in bar to the suit, in which it was pleaded that Mrs. North had been guilty of adultery. The admission of the allegation was opposed. The parties were married in 1828, the lady being a minor at the time, and they cohabited together until July last, soon after which the suit was promoted by the wife for the restitution of conjugal rights. The allegation given in on the part of Mr. North pleaded adultery to have been committed with an apprentice. Dr. LUSILINGTON, on the behalf of the lady, opposed the admissibility of the allegation, as, were its contents fully proved, the Court could not come to the conclusion that adultery had been committed. He (Dr. Lushington), as well as his Learned Friend on the other side, had sat up many a weary night perusing love letters introduced in suits in that Court ; but he was satisfied that never before did a lover address his mistress as the alleged paramour in this case had done. This party had addressed the lady as having acted towards him as a sister or mother. The tenets of the letter negatived the presumption that adultery had been committed. The allegation was objectionable in other respects, and he should submit that it ought to be rejected. The KING'S ADVOCATE supported the allegation, and submitted that if the facts pleaded in the allegation were proved, the Court must hold that adultery had been com mitted. The allegation, therefore, must be admitted. Dr. PIIILLIDIORE directed the allegation to be admitted, after reformation, and directed 50/. to be paid to the wife on account of alimony. THE NORTHERN WHALE FISHERY. (From the Aberdeen Herald.) • The decay of the Northern Whale Fishery has, of late years been --”sons anticipate its speedy annihilation. In 1820, 142 vessels were out in Great Britain ; in 1832, the number bad decreased to 81 ; and, last year, only 59 were despatched to prosecute this branch of industry. Aberdeen, about '2O years ago, sent out annually 14 vessels ; we understand that only four will leave this port next season. Nor is this decline at all surprising. The necessity of seeking the fish among the extensive fields of loose ice and icebergs, in Davis' straits, where, too, storms seem to be of much more frequent occurrence than in the East Greenland seas, has greatly increased the difficulties and dangers of the undertaking. The loss of life and property that has been sustained within the last twenty years has : been so great, and the success, even in the most favourable sea sons, so trifling, that there is more matter of astonishment in finding men still willing to risk their capital and lives in such disastrous and profitless expeditions, than in the fact that many vessels have been withdrawn from the sta tions, and that several Companies have given up their con nection with the trade altogether. Of five hundred and eighty-six ships sent to the north for four years previous to 1817, eight were lost. ; although, as is stated by Captain Scoresby, this period was peculiarly free from disaster. In 1819, of 63 ships sent to Davis' Straits, no fewer than 10 were lost ; in 1821, out of 79 ships, eleven were lost ; in 1822, out of 60 ships, seven were lost ; and in 1830, out of 87 ships, no less than 18 were lost. The dire mishaps of the season before last must still be fresh in the recollection of our readers, and they cannot have forgotten the fact that six vessels still remain fast bound up in the ice (if, by this time, they are not completely wrecked,) notwithstand ing the praiseworthy attempts to relieve undertaken at the request of humane and benevolent individuals. Nor have the results of the fishing been of such a kind as to tempt the merchant or the shipowner to expose his own property and the lives of his fellow men to new risks. In 1830, of the 87 ships sent out, 24 returned clean, and of the remainder, only one had a full cargo, one or two being all that were half-fished. Of the vessels that returned in 1835, few were even half-fished, and many of them were clean, and this last season, the returns although better than was at first anticipated, proved miserable in the extreme. The natural consequence of all this is, a gradual reduction of the number of vessels employed in the fishing, and a seeming disposition on the part of the shipowners to abandon it. The question naturally occurs, is there no mode of reviv ing or extending a branch of industry that used to be con sidered of very great importance, that, certainly, at first view, appears calculated to contribute materially to indivi dual and national wealth ; and which, there can be no doubt, must aid greatly in promoting the discovery of the unknown arctic regions, and tend to introduce among the native tribes the habits and usages of civilized life ? From inquiries made among intelligent individuals who have been long em ployed the fishing, and from a careful examination of the merits of a suggestion thrown out by a shipowner in this city, we think we may venture to answer this question in the affirmative. At all events, the hint of our intelligent friend is highly worthy of the consideration of those who have their capital at present unprofitably invested in whale-ships. The plan is simply to estabksh a settlement of active and enterprising whale fishers on some favourable spot in the vicinity of Davis' Straits, and to employ only so many large vessels as may be necessary to carry out provisions to the colony, and fetch home the oil, blubber, whalebone, and other articles which may be thought worth importing. From all the information that we at present possess, we should think that the most eligible position for the settle ment would be at Pond's Bay, or somewhere between that and Lancaster Sound, on the west coast of Baffin's Bay. There are some situations on the north-cast shore (Prince Regent's Bay, for example) that might be found suitable ; but, of late years, the fishers assert that the whales have been most plentiful towards the other shore. The practicability of carrying such a plan into effect, and the advantages likely to result from it, are the only two points that fall to be noticed here. The testimony of recent travellers, as well as of seamen who have been compelled to winter in the high latitudes, goes to prove the practicability of establishing and main taining an efficient colony even as far north as the place we have pointed out. Captain Ross's remark, that " the tem perature of sensation is more relative than is imagined, the body soon contriving to find a new and much lower scale of comfortable or endurable heat," has been completely veri fied by all who have visited the Polar regions. The atten tion now paid to the quality of ship provisions, and the improved methods of preserving them, have not only put a stop to the inroads of scurvy, but have tended materially to increase the comfort of those who choose to lengthen their stay in cold countries. In East Greenland there are several Danish settlements. Holsteinburg, within the Arctic Circle, is a small town with a church and a clergyman ; and still higher up, at Lievly, in Disco Island, the chief Danish governor resides. With an ample store of food and clothing, and materials for constructing houses, there can be no doubt that a colony of hardy whalers would con trive to pass the winter agreeably and in comfort. Nor would they be dependent altogether on the supplies carried with them, or procured from the mother country. The musk ox, the rein-deer, the white bear, the hare, and a number of other quadrupeds, would afford them at once sport and a valuable addition to their means of sustenance. Birds, too, and fresh fish of various kinds, would not be wanting to give variety to their repasts ; while lobsters, muscles, and other shell fish could be had as abundantly as at home. To avoid all risks of famine, it would be pro per to have always in the settlement provisions for two years—although it could hardly ever happen that the set lers would be so completely shut up as to be inaccessible during the whole of the summer months. Tho advantages of having a numerous body of fishers on the spot, instead of sending them out annually, can easily be made apparent. Ist, There would be a saving of outlaid capital. For some time the ships sent from Great Britain to Davis' Straits may have averaged 100 each year ; and we believe we speak within limits when we assert, that the oil and whalebone which they have brought home might easily have been carried by one-fifth of the number. Sup pose a permanent colony of 4,000 fishers were established at Davis' Straits, and 20 of the 100 vessels employed in the carrying trade, the other 80 vessels might at once be withdrawn, making a saving of outlaid capital to the extent of at least 320,000/. In this calculation we take merely the cost of the ships, as the boats, harpoons, casks, and other apparatus, and the provisions included in the outfit, would all be required in the settlement. 2d, The fishery would have a better chance of being successful. At pre sent it sometimes happens that vessels cannot get into the proper fishing station till the season is so far advanced that they are under the necessity of returning home without lowering their boats, and this difficulty arises not from the want of open sea within the Straits, but from accu mulations of ice drifted from the north extremity of Baffin's Bay to the Labrador coast. A settlement of fishers win tering inside would, in most cases, make a good fishing before the British ships had penetrated far up the Straits. Mr Fisher says— " It is particularly deserving of being remarked, that hitherto we have always found the sea clearer of ice near the shore than farther out at sea, which is rather at va riance with the opinion of those who suppose the vicinity of land necessary to the formation of ice ; but it may be asked whether the loose floes of ice with which the sea in these latitudes is almost covered were not, at the time of their formation, united to the land ? May not the reflection of the sun's rays from the mountains tend, in a great measure, to dissolve the ice near the shore ?" The master of a whaler, an intelligent native of this city, who has prosecuted the fishery for upwards of twenty years, confirms this statement, and says that one of the best years' fishings he ever made was in an open space quite close to the beach. 3d. There would be much less risk of loss by shipwreck. In the first place, a smaller number of vessels would be required ; and, secondly, those sent out would only have to discharge their cargo and take in their casks of blubber and the whalebone. If, as in the old Dutch settlements, the boiling process could be carried on on the spot, another saving could be effected by bringing home only the oil. The com paratively short time that the vessels would necessarily be out, would enable them to choose their time of sail ing better, both on their outward and homeward passage. 4th, The fishing might, ultimately, be left in a great measure to the natives, and a profitable barter trade established. Captain Ross speaks of the Esquimaux as being very peaceable, active, and industrious, and notes especially their remarkable talent for imitation. They would soon be collected in considerable numbers by the presence of a large settlement of Europeans, and there would be little difficulty found in inducing them to assist in the fishery. sth, But the traffic need not necessarily be confined to the exchange of goods for whale oil and whale bone merely. In giving an acconnt of Prince Regent's Bay, Captain Ross says— " It is probable that a valuable fur trade might be esta blished, as numbers of black foxes were seen, and also the traps used by the natives for catching them. There can be no doubt that a people of so harmless a disposition as the Arctic Highlanders, might be easily instructed to collect these skins, which they do not seem to value, or to make so much use as those of the seal or the bear. The ivory of the sea-unicorn, the sea-horse's teeth, may also be con sidered as articles of trade. All these could be procured for European commodities, such as knives, nails, small har poon-heads, pieces of iron, wood ofany description, crockery_ ware, and cheap and useful utensils and tools ; both to the great benefit of the merchant, and to that of this Secluded race of human beings." 6th. While such a settlement...would be highly advanta- qc99s to the nation and individuals in a commercial point of vier; ^i ii WiU . ldtencdalso to, advance sc ienc e and prothoto the dance of Partles: employed: to explore the poitif regions, by living for st'.;a - lii Otil'o'nr:o; the, Whale-fishers, would acquire a knowledge of the Esquiniaio. 4,dOign'oi they • • mum 0c(3,31pe hardened to the severities of the climate they would learn the best mode of travelling ; they would obtain sue li ?t:ftql-hatjort as the natives are able to commu nicate, and this f as i§Efidfm b'y the . liintz , given to Captain Doss en Ids last Voyage, ig Of Oo Mean importance ; nod be sides they would be enab'd by wintering in the country and In a high latitude to seize tild roost favourable opportunity for undeftnkirt their voyage or jourtioiys If necessary, parties belonging td he fishing station could Ire sent forward with provisions sufficient lot . Their sustenance, to form a new station, to be the starting point Of a new set of discoverers, and so off from s!tTe to stage, till the lrJr'g agi tated question of a north-west passage was fairly set at retit. But in another respect the proposal to k'end a colony in tits polar regions ought to be favourably receiVC4 by the friends of humanity and civilization. If the Esquimaux and other northern tribes are to be humanized, it must be by come such means as this. Let them be taught to avail them selves to the utmost of the store 6 which Providence, ever bountiful, has provided for their use, even in the seemingly , inhospitable regions of snOW give them a taste rot the con veniences nod comforts of civilized life ; and show them that, by exerting their skill in subduing the wild beasts of their forestless mountains, entrapping their tamer animals, and becoming masters of the leviathan-like monsters that swarm in their seas and bays, they are providing the means of adding greatly to their happiness and enjoyment. The pious and devoted missionary may then go on his message of love, .and who knows but a period much shorter than that already spent in the northern fishery may suffice to make the " untutored savage" a civilized intelligent man and a sincere Christian. We have thus briefly alluded to a few of the advantages that would accrue from the proposed settlement. There would, no doubt, be difficulties to overcome, and we make no pretensions to anything like a competent knowledge of their extent ; but still we are of opinion that they are not greater than British ingenuity and British persevercnce have often surmounted. That the Northern Fishery will either undergo some change in the mode of its prosecution or sink into insignificance, must, we should think, be abundantly obvious. If the hints thrown out in the preceding remarks be the means of directing the attention of parties interested in the subject, and of stimulating them to the proposal of some plan for advancing individual and national interest, and the cause of civilization, they are not altogether lost. Should a settlement be thought advisable, individuals who have frequently visited the country would be able to sug gest the alterations required in the operations commonly used in the fishing in consequence of the new mode of pro cedure. Small craft, 'strongly built, to work inside of the ice might be necessary in addition to the common boats, and light vehicles for transporting blubber and other arti cles across the ice, could easily be invented. For the first year, the fishers and mechanics would do well to go out alone ; but after having their dwellings comfortably fitted up, there would be no harm, but much good, in letting their families join them. In conclusion, we beg to refer such of our readers as wish to ascertain the practicability of the proposed scheme, to Captain Scoresby's excellent work, and the writings of Parry, Fisher, Ross, and the other northern travellers. They will there find much useful and interesting informa tion, calculated to show them at once the dangers and difficulties of a sojourn in the icy regions, and the possibi lity of completely overcoming them. sary that the Ministry and the people should truly and distinctly understand their relative position, power, and duties,-=that Ministers shoUld know wha't eipeeted from them by the 'conti'rv, wn 't a what extent the people will suiliort tbcni in carrying out their proposed improve7cit's in our institutions, and that the people slA:Vrid know the obstacles which Ministers have to overcome, and ever bear in mind, that without an ac tive and energetic support out of Parliament, Minis ters will be utterly powerless to effect any good or efficient measures within it. The main strength of the present Ministry lies out of doors, and not in the. House of Commons,—in the people, and not in an Assembly wherein, notwithstanding the Re form Act, many Members, foisted on the represen tation, oppose rather than assist the genuine ex pression of public opinion. To secure this sup port out of doors, Ministers must bring forward in the next Session measures more liberal than any they have hitherto proposed. These measures, whether carried by a great or small majority in the House of Commons, arc sure to he "sterznipcd in the Lords, and then comes the " tug of war," the appeal, to the people, whose support of the Ministry will be in the direct ratio of the liberality and extensiveness of the measures on which they will be called upon to pro nounce their verdict. Any doubts or hesitation, or concession to Toryism, on the part of the Ministry, would be destructive of public confidence—the life blood of their existence—and equivalent to a political suicide. Any doubt or hesitation, or premature with drawal of support from the Government on the part of the people would be to hazard the restoration of ta fac tious Administration—to delay and defeat Reform— and expose the country once more to the ravages of the corruptionists, or to the necessity of a violent demon stration in effecting their expulsion or subjugation. Thus it is evident that it is only in a mutually perfect understanding, and perfect confidence, and perfect cob operation on the part of the Ministry and the people, can the stability of the one, and the safety and prospe rity of the other, be secured. Equally evident is it that to endeavour to excite dissension or disunion in such a perilous crisis as that to which we are approaching, is an act of the most flagitious treason to the common wealth. Reform has an active and wily foe to contend against—a foe ready to put in practice treachery,,in trigue, corruption, and every possible agency, however depraved, to gain an advantage—a foe that, while per petrating the most deadly injuries on public rights, will audaciously invoke the name of liberty, and while vio lating every social and moral obligation, will profanely appeal to religion, and pretend that the iniquities of a sect are essential to the support of Christianity. Against such a foe, ‘ 4 ready to soothe and sue, and watch all time, and pry into all places," the Reformers cannot be too much on their guard, nor too closely united amongst themselves. Let the common enemy be first overcome, am) it will be then time enough for honest Refo rmers t o settle their mutual differences. The souse of Commons is not in a state to support P. more liberal Ministry than the present, and it is against those calling themselves Representatives of the People, and betraying their trust, and not against Mi nisters, that public indignation should be directed. It is on these that the people should endeavour to pro duce an impression previously to the assembling of Parliament, and be prepared•to inflict the proof of their displeasure when a general election will afford the op portunity. But the people themselves have been shamelessly remiss in many instances, and their ne glect in the Registration Courts have, in some cases, enabled the Tories to snatch a victory, or at least leave it a doubtful contest, where a little exertion would have been sufficient to give them a decisive defeat. Witness East Cornwall,—Saint Alban's,—Lincoln,— wherein the re-election of their present liberal Mem bers has been rendered doubtful by Tory machinations being suffered to consummate their purpose, almost un opposed by the people. The Radicals may be as sured that they have work enough before them, with out seeking to pick a quarrel with their friends. No good can be effected until there be first made a great national demonstration of public feeling, and all we seek is to prevent the effect of that demonstration being impaired by any misdirection or mistake of its object.—Morning Advertiser. Of all the delusions which sensible men ever took up, and attempted to palm upon others, is that of as suming the possibility of the monetary concerns of this vast empire being carried on in the precious metals. As long as silver and gold are (as they ever must) as much subjects of barter and merchandise as corn and sugar, so long must their existence be as fluctuating and transitory as any other commodity, even could they at any one period be got together in sufficient amount to meet the demand. If there could exist any doubt about this in the mind of any rational man, the monthly returns, published by the Bank of England, must set such doubts at rest. Let us take the last return only, which is as follows : LIABILITIES. ASSETS. Circulation £17,361,000 Securities £28,971,000 Deposits 13,330,000 Bullion 4,545,000 £30,691,000 1 £33,516,000 Now here is an account showing the solvency of the Bank beyond all question, and that, as a bank of issue alone, it possesses a surplus capital of nearly three millions. But what is its solvency, or rather, ability, as to paying its liabilities in specie ? Why, that to meet 30,691,0001., all demandable in gold, it possesses in its coffers, and those of its branch esta blishments, but 4,545,0001. in gold and silver. When to the liabilities of the Bank of England we add those of all the other Banks in the United Kingdom, as well as the bill of exchange liabilities of merchants and others, and assume, for the sake of argument, that the gold and silver in circulation may bear about the same proportion to these, which we may be pretty well assured is not the case, the mind wavers between fixing itself upon the utter absurdity of assuming the possibi lity of cash payments, and the fearful hazard to which all the concerns of the country arc exposed, whenever a moment of panic or want of confidence, however groundless, arises. It may be said that the whole thirty millions and a half of the present liabilities of the Bank of England are not demandable in gold, and that it applies only to its seventeen millions of circula tion. This may or may not be so. The inability to meet one or the other is alike apparent, and the mis chief of attempting to keep up such a delusion, equally undeniable.—Morning Herald. For some time past we have said, what we believed to be strictly true, that a remarkable re-action, as it is the fashion to call it, had taken place in public opi nion, as far as Scotland in particular was concerned. In addition to the political causes that have been in operation, other circumstances, peculiar to that part of the country, have contributed to this result. The people who attacked the civil institutions of Scotland were not satisfied with simple mischief. They com plicated the thing by endeavouring to undermine the Church. It is true that in England the same course has been attempted ; and it is equally true that the same consequences have followed—but there is some difference in the circumstances of the two coun tries. In England, great disgust has been created by the assaults on the Church—but not so great as in Scotland, where the feeling is not checked—in the same proportion—by the bad in fluence of political Dissenters. The facts that have gradually come to light, in reference to the state of public opinion in the north, have fully confirmed our previous assertion s on the subject. They not only prove the re-action, but they prove that the Govern ment is at length aware of it. To what else can we attribute the appearance of the following significant hint in the thorough-going Ministerial Scotsman newspaper ? .‘ We doubt if the country (we mean the electoral body) is ripe for the adoption of vote by ballot ; and we are sure it will not be ripe for the separation of Church and State for many years to come. No Government could stand three months which should commit itself to the support of the latter." thing — one o f two This means—if it mean any things, either the Ministers do not intend any further interference with the Church of Scotland, or they be lieve that they will not remain in office three months longer. We do not profess to be in the secret ; b ut either event, we will answer for it, would give great satisfaction to the good men and true of the " North Couutrie."—Morning Post. INSOLVENT DEBTORS' COURT, DBC. 22. A WHOLESALE DEALER.—JocI George Young, whose case was before the Court on a former occasion, came up for judgment. This insolvent, whose case presented some remarkable features, had been three times a bankrupt, and had twice petitioned as an insolvent debtor ; but his pro ceedings on both occasions were dismissed. He was now described as a general merchant, and his debts and liabilities were stated at 9,8701. 13s. 2d., of which he had received consideration for 4,8891. 17s. 2d. ; he had no tangible pro perty, and had no less than 125 creditors. From Mr. Seward, an upholsterer, Blackman street, Borough, he had obtained furniture and money, amounting together to up wards of 401. Whilst a ruler of the King's Bench prison, he called on that creditor, represented himself as a man of property, and ordered some expensive articles, which were made to his order. The goods were delivered at No. 38, Bridge House-place, Newington Causeway. The insolvent called soon afterwards with a bill of exchange for 401., ac cepted by a person named Hobbs, whom he represented as possessed of property ; he desired the difference of 71. odd, telling him to deduct his account. Mr. Seward had not the money at the time, but he gave his I. 0. U. for the sum of 71., which was presented when he was out of town, and the money obtained ; no portion of the debt had been obtained, and it had been ascertained that the acceptor was a female servant. The insolvent, after he had obtained the goods and money, told a man named Evans that he wished he could catch such a d—d fool every day. Mr. Wyse, ironmonger, &c., at Putney, the second op posing creditor, complained that the insolvent owed him upwards of 601., contracted in a somewhat singular manner. He had completed some work for him on houses at Twicken ham which he believed were his property, and there re mained a balance of 271., for which he was pressed ; be said, " My dear fellow, I will pay you your bill, and lend you a 1001. any time you want it." He was thanked for his kindness, and told he would be troubled for the rum of 50/. ; he brought a bill of exchange, drawn on " J. Web ster," for 25/., which he gave to him on account of the debt due, and afterwards brought him a bill on the same party for 501., to assist him. He left the house, but returned in a hurried manner with a slip of paper, saying " Life's un certain ; pat your name on this to acknOwledge the bill I have lent you." The paper was partly covered, and Mr. Wyse wrote his name. Some time afterwards he was threatened to be arrested for 50/., and discovered that the paper he bad signed was a stamp, and he had paid 251. to get out of the mischief. He positively stated that the word " accepted" was not in his handwriting. The bill lent to him by the insolvent had not been used, and the other had not been paid. It was ascertained that "J. Webster" was non invenlus. It was contended that the insolvent had practised a series of frauds, and a remand of the utmost extent was prayed. The insolvent had acted with a malignity of heart seldom witnessed. The Learned COMMISSIONER, in giving judgment, said the sentence was, that the insolvent be imprisoned at the suit of Mr. Beck for eight months for a vexatious defence, and at the suit of Mr. Seward, Mr. Wyse, Mr. Gough, Mr. Shaw, and Mr. Watson, to eighteen calendar months, for fraudulently contracting their several debts. On Thursday evening, as the True Briton coach, which leaves Huddersfield for Manchester at four o'clock, was going down the hill on the opposite side of Stannedge, the driver, owing to the darkness of the evening, drove the coach completely off the road, and upset it. Several of the passengers were injured, but not materially. Wheat•sowing, in consequence of the late stormy weather, has been lamentably protracted. Much seed, usually in the ground about the middle of November, even yet remains unscattered, on account of the soddened state of the soil. We arc informed that a School of Design is about to be formed at Paisley by the leading manufacturers of the town. It is to be hoped that the example shown by our sagacious Scotch neighbours will not be lost on the manu facturers of Yorkshire and Lancashire. For several days past the inhabitants of the Hay market hare been greatly inconvenienced by not being pro perly supplied with water. Application was made to the Water Company, who caused workmen to examine the large main water-pipes : when, on Saturday night, an enormous eol was found alive in one of them, which from its size prevented the proper flow of water. The eel mea sured four feet, and the body nearly twelve inches in cir cumference. The inhabitants havo since been properly supplied with water. On Wednesday last a female named Ann Burkitt, in a moment of great excitement, jumped from the attic story of the work-house in Great St. Andrew's parish, Cambridge, on to the pebble pavement, and with the ex ception of a few slight wounds and bruises of the flesh, she is otherwise unhurt. This escape from broken bones, says a correspondent, "is marvellous, and reminds us of what occurred in the Barnwell theatre some years since, where a false alarm of fire occasioned the greatest confusion, in the midst of which nine women jumped from the gallery into the pit, b u t no t one o f them had a bone broken."—Cant bridge Chronicle COMMON COUNCIL ELECTIONS. (SECOND DAY. Yesterday the polling in the contested wards was resumed with much spirit, and will finally close this evening.:— WARD OF FARRINGDON WlTHOUT—Returns 16. (Those marked with a * are new candidates.) Alderman James Harmer. Mr. Tickner 94 Mr. Figgins Obbard 9B Galloway Savage 77 - Bedford 79 Marriott Anderton Ramshaw B7 Harms Blackett Beckwith * Williams BREAD-STREET WARD—Returns Twelve. Alderman Thomas Lainson. Mr. J. Lawrence Mangham Holmes Kepling Lainson Davison Wm. Lawrence 42 CHEAP "WARD—Returns Twelve. Alderman W. Thompson. Mr. Garatrong 26 Mr. Cuthbert Fletcher Watson Hardwick 27 Fawcett 2O R. Brook 26 Newton ll Fenning Jones LANGBOURN WARD—Returns Ten. Sir John Key, Alderman. Mr. Carter Stubbing Marchant 9O Adamson Morrison Haswell BB *Chapman Unwin CANDLEWICK OA RD—Returns Six. Alderman J." Birch. Mr. Saunders Downes 65 *Bond .. . 46 Ansturch .. . 66 Thornton J. Evans BASSISHAW WARD—Returns Four. James White, Esq„ Alderman. Mr. Wood Bevis 45 *Lister -. 17 Frisby PORTSOKEN WARD—Returns Five. Alderman Thomas Johnson. Mr. Hoard lO9 Mr. Saul Tyars ll7 *Christie Parker Negus The Dutch Consul at Havre committed suicide on Friday last by banging himself in his orchard. He is sup posed to have been insane. It was Mr. Secretary Wood who gave a dinner party at which the Earl of Minto was present on Monday last at the Admiralty, and not the Noble Earl, who gave his last dinner party on Friday last before the holydays. LAND TAX.—The following accounts of the in equality of the land-tax in various parts of the kingdom cannot fail to prove interesting :—The county of Middlesex, the real property in which is stated at 5,595,5371. per an num, pays 236,246/., or about 10d. in the pound ; while in Lancashire it is 3,087,7741., and the land-tax only 19,4091., or about lid. in the pound. The great county of York pays about 4id., whilst Bedford is about s. Bd. in the pound. The little county of Rutland pays about 10d. ; Buckingham, Is. sid. ; while Cumberland is let off at lid. Stafford pays sid. ; and Hampshire, about the same value, is mulcted in 11d., or just double. The large county of Northumberland is let off for 24d., and Sussex is charged Is. 3id. ; Hereford, Is. 6d. ; Westmoreland, 2id. The inequalities among the towns are still greater. The small parish of St. Paul's, Covent-garden, pays 2s. 4d. in the pound, and Mary-la-bonne only a farthing. The City of London, near Is. Gd. The town of Liverpool does not pay one-tenth of a penny. Manchester contributes not ex ceeding 2d. ; City of Norwich, the enormous rate of 2s. Id. ; Brighton, not more than ; Exeter City, Is. &id.; Leicester, 21d. ; Cambridge, is. 9d. ; Lancaster, id. ; Oxford, 2s. 3d. ; Berwick, id. ; Gloucester, Is. 7d. ; Dover, 7d. ; Bury, 3s. ; Harwich, 7d. ; Winchester, Js. sd. ; Southampton, 31d. ; Kidderminster, Is. 9id. ; Tewkesbury, 4d. ; Winchilsea, 3s. Id. ; Bath, lid. ; Leeds, 2id. ; Southwark, 11d. Wednesday an inquest was held at the Town of Rams gate public-house, Wapping Old-stairs, before Mr. Baker, one of the coroners for Middlesex, on the body of a man, name unknown. The deceased was observed floating on the surface of the river, off Wapping, by Marshall, the beadle, who had it brought on shore, and lodged in the dead house. The deceased appeared to have been several days in the water, and was about 40 years of age. A triangular wound was observed on his forehead, but no other marks of violence on his body, and the wound, it was observed, might have o cc u rre d by his striking again s t s omething on his falling into the water. There was nothing about him to indicate who he was, and though inquiry has been made, no such person could be discovered to have been missing. He was dressed in a drab-coloured frock coat, a brown jacket, plaid waistcoat and trousers, white stockings, and lace-up boots. In his pockets were found 3s, Gd. in silver, and a tailor's thimble. He is about five feet four inches in height, bald head, and dark complexion. The jury ex pressed a hope that the case would become public, that the friends of the deceased might be apprised of the poor man's fate.--Verdict, " Found drowned." Tuesday last, at Belstead, near Ipswich, F. W. Campbell, Esq., of Birkfield Lodge, in company of Capt. Johnson, who is at this time his guest, were on a shooting excursion, when Mr. Campbell discharged his piece at a fowl which rose suddenly from a brook. Immediately after wards he heard a cry of " I'm shot !" and, proceeding to the spot, discovered his friend on his knees with his face streaming with blood. Mr. Campbell was horror-struck, supposing that Captain Johnson had been in his rear. Sur gical assistance was immediately procured, and we arc glad to learn that no serious consequences are likely to result. — Suffolk Chronicle. SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE. VESSELS ENTERED INWARDS AT THE CUS. TOM-HOUSE, DEC. ". The matl 'f Liverpool, Lomax, from Ostend; Undine, SMith, Harling,ene; Cato, Whitnall, Dunkirk ; Manchester, broitg, Quebec; Girafk, Major, Rotterdam; London, Pear son, ditto; Frances Arai, Harrison, Amsterdam ; Emerald, Houghton, Boulogoc, ENTERED OUTWARDS FOR LOADING: The John Bull, Corbin, for Hamburgh; Attwood, L.,ltran hack, Rotterdam; Tyne, Marla, Ostend and Ghent; MAW , Manger, Jersey. CLEARED OUTWARDS WITH CARGO. The Tourist, Whiteombe, for Antwerp. CLEARED OUTWARDS IN BALLAST. The Emanuel, Salvartyne, for Norway; Wave, Edwards, St. Michael's; Auguste, Salvage, Gravelines. ARRIVALS AT LIVERPOOL, DEC. 21. The Crown, Pont:onhy, from Calcutta ; Swallow, M'Kean, Copenhagen; George the Fourth, Phillips, Guernsey ; George Gordon, i‘loorman, Bathurst; Ann, Wilson, St. John's N.B. ; Hebe, Ibrail; Maria, Ford, Quebec; Dibdin, Hutchinson, Quebec; Sarah, Sinclair, Quebec; Pearl, Hol land, Leghorn; Experiment, Drinkwatcr, Campeachy ; Dandy, Mayhew, St. Michael's; Farujo and Filho, Roza, Lisbon. ENTERED FOR LOADING. The Robert Kerr, for Mobile ; Canadian, Stevenson, New Orleans ; Forth, Williamson, Trinidad. CLEARED OUTWARDS. The Clementson, Newly, for St. Thomas's; Hardware, Jones, Trinidad; Laura Anti, Ceasely, Lisbon; Bonanza, Kerr, Gibraltar; Frances, Leslie, Charleston. SAILED. The South America, Barstow, for New York; Emmanuel, Dearness, New York; Dido, Keay, Africa; Oporto, Martin, Oporto. TELEGRAPHED. Sailed from Holyhead, at twelve at noon, the ErtOna p ; ut into Holyhead at one, P.M., the Vale of Clywd steame.r. Holyhead, outward-bound, the United States, for New York ; the Heath, for Africa. Off Poynt Lynas, inward-bound, the Highland Lad, from Poole. EAST INDIA. The Adelaide, Guthrie, from Bombay, in the Downs -- sailed August 25, St. Helena, November 2; the Malabar , Forbisher, - from Bombay, at Liverpool—sailed September 12 ; St. Helena, November 10 ; the Crown, Ponsonby, from Ben' gal, off Holyhead—sailed from St. Helena, November 10. Arrivals at St. Helena—The Iris, Malkwood, October 31, and sailed for London; the Sarah, October 31, from Singa pore, and sailed November 1, for London; the Antelope, No vember 2, from the Cape ; the Brant, November 3, from whaling, and sailed November 6, for New Bedford; the Nep tune, November 4, from Batavia, and sailed November 4, for Havre ' • the Reform, November 5, from the Cape, and sailed November 7, for Liverpool ; the Louisa, November 7, from Caicutta, and sailed November 8, for Boston; the Genera/ Chasse, November 7, from Batavia, and sailed November 8, for Rotterdam ; the Mercurius, November 8, and sailed for Amsterdam; the Janet, November 8, from the Mauritius, and sailed November 10, for London ; the Blake, November 9 from Bombay, and sailed for Liverpool ; the Parsee, Novem ber 10, from Calcutta and the Cape, and sailed for London; the Warwick, November 10, from Madras, and sailed for Li verpool ; the Asia, November 10, from Batavia, and sailed for Rotterdam. The Dutch ships Holland and Java, had both been seen be. tween the Cape and St. Helena. Arrival at the Cape—The Wellington, Liddell, on the 15th of Sept. from Portsmouth. Arrivals at Bombay—The Tory, in Aug. from Liverpool; the Huddersfield, on the Bth, from Liverpool ; the Weimer Castle, from London ; the Euphrates, from London ; the Surrey, from New South Wales ; the Asia, from Rio ; the overland mail of the Ist of July, arrived out on the Bth of September; the George Canning, on the 12th of August, from London. Departures from Bombay--The Europe, on the alst of August, for London ; the Blake, on the 3d of September, for Liverpool ; the Symmetry, on the 9th, for Calcutta; the Sir C. Malcolm, on the 4th, for Bengal. ELEGANT PRESENT.—One of the most elegant presents we could name for this season is, undoubtedly, " The Book of Gems," which has just appeared. It con tains nearly double tho number of engravings usually given in illustrated volumes, and is, besides, so intrinsically valu able in its contents as to render the work an important ac quisition in the library, as well as one of the most beautiful specimens of the present state of art. Great as has been the demand already experienced for this splendid work, we calculate its merits, as they become known, will carry it much further ; and that, for the reasons we have assigned, a de cided preference will be given to it at this season, in the selection of a present or prize book. On Monday morning a steamer from Hull arrived at the Custom-house-quay, having among the passengers a woman, named Mary Massey, recently tried in Yorkshire for felony, and sentenced to seven years' transportation ; she was accompanied by Joseph Bashforth, an officer, w ho was about to convey the convict to the Hulks at Woolwich, but by some means or other she contrived to effect her es cape. Information of the circumstance was immediately communated to the police, and a reward was offered for the conviceo apprehension. Nothing was heard respecting her, although every inquiry had been instituted, until a late hour on the same evening, when she was, in the following singular manner, re s eognised and retaken :—A police con stable of the D divisito, named Gore, was dispatched to the S station-house with son;e particulars relative to a robbery, and while in conversation with the sergeant on duty, a woman was brou g ht i n o n the e Large of being drunk and disorderly in the streets. Notwithsta , 3ding the dirty and disar ranged state of her dress Gore felt coovineed, from the de scription sent round to the police, that she was no other thanthe fugitive in question, and accordingly, on Tuesday morning,delivered when she had become somewhat sober, she was up to the Hull officer, by whom she was at o nce identified and secured. HENRIETTA TEMPLE.—One of the most interest ing portraitures in this new novel, by the author of " Vivian Grey," is the sketch of Lady C—, under the name of Lady Bellair, which is much too graphic to be mistaken. It possesses the rare merits of fidelity andgood nature. The eccentricities, the kindliness, the shrewdness of the original are admirably depicted ; and not a few of her strange re marks recal the past century and those who flourished then —great persons, who were the familiar friends of a woman who, now in her ninety-second year, retains so many of the feelings and remembrances of youth. ROCKING STONE IN LANGUEDOC.—In the neighbourhood of Castres is a remarkably curiosity, le rocker tremblant, or the rocking-stone ; it is of an irregular figure, somewhat approaching to that of a flattened egg standing on its smaller end. Its greatest girth, which is at about two-thirds of its height from the ground, is 27 or .28 English feet ; the smallest, which is at the base, is about 13, the height is about 12 feet, and the weight is estimated at GOO quintals, of 1001bs. each. The base is convex in the direction of its longer diameter, so that at each extre mity of that diameter it rises eight inches from the sup porting rock ; along the smaller diameter of the base the stone is supported throughout, so th a t it is only in one direction that it is susceptible of motion. It requires several smart pushes to put this stone in motiou, but when the movement has once commenced, a small force suffices to keep it up. Le rocker trcmblant is near the corner of the rock which serves for its support, and over hangs it ; it is on the top of a hill, at the foot of which 1.5 a remarkable grotto that once served as a retreat to St. Dominick.—Penny (yclopeedia. PATENT LEVER WATCHES. Price, at T. COX SAVORY'S, 47, Cornhill, London. _ sILVEIt CASES. With double-bottom cases With hunting cases Coral CASES. Size for ladies, with elegant gold diai Size for gentlemen, with enamel dial This celebrated construction (the most accurate on which watch can be made) is now offered at the above price, with the latest improvements, i. e., the detached escapement. jewelled four holes, capped, hand to mark the seconds, and inai nta ` n4,D power to continue going while winding up. T. COX SAVORY, Working Silversmith, Goldsmith, and Watchmaker, 47, Coolll3l' London. BIRTHS. On the 14th inst., in Edinburgh, the lady of Charles Brownlorry Esq., of a son. On the 22d inst., at May Place, Kent, the lady of Lieutenan t Wingfield, Royal Horse Artillery, of a son. On the 21st inst., at Kilburn, Mrs. John D . Dickenson, of daughter. On the 18th inst., at Boom Hall, Londonderry, the lady of the Rev. T. Lindesey, of a still-born child. MARRIED. On the 21st inst., at M ar cbam, John Edward Armstrong, E.s(l',' of Lincoln's Inn, barrister-at-law, to E lizabeth, second daughter 0, the late Benjamin Morlana, Esq , of Shee p stead H o use , Berks. At North Ferriby, the Bee. J. Mendham , of Clophill , Bedford .. shire, only son of John Mendhara, Esq., of Richmond, Surrey., to Sophia, daughter of the late C. Turner, Esq., of North Ferriby, Yorkshire. DIED. On the 17th inst., on board H.M.S. " Brune," at Chatham. Richard Sholl, Esq. , Purser of t he Ordinary there, aged 51. On the 18th inst., Emily, the youngest daughter of Mr. John Gibson, of Islington, aged 4. On the 1 9 th ins t., at W alcot - place, Lambeth, the infant son of Mr. J. W. Peppercorne. On the 20th inst., at the Terrace, New-street, Kennington, Marls widow of Mr. J. Mathvson, of the Stationery-office, and Church street, Milbank, aged 7b. On the 20th inst., at Stoke Newington, Mary , relict of data Clarke, LL.D., aged 76. On the 19th inst., aged 58, Charles Moss, Esq., of Henrietta.. street, Cavendish-square, late of Somerset House. On the 22d inst., aged 54, Charlotte, wife of H. Solly, Esq., of Tividale, near Tipton, Staffordshire. _ mil London: Printed and Published by_MURDO YOUNG , of NO . 112, Strand, at The Sun Office, No. 112, Strand, in the county of Middlesex:--Friday, December 23, 1d36.